Fruit-gatherer



(No Model.)

J. W GAIN.

FRUIT GATHBRBR.

No. 435,206. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

fil@ 1 INVENTOH IUNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN IV. GAIN, OF RUSH, WEST VIRGINIA.

FFUlT-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,206, dated August 26, 1890,

Application tiled March 19,| 1G90. Serial No. 344,444. n (No model.) i

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be -it known that I, JOHN lV. GAIN, of Rusk, inthe county of Ritchie and State of XVest Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Fruit-Picker, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My inventionlrelates to improvements in fruit-pickers; and the object of my invention is 'to provide a simple, convenient, and etticient device by means of whicha person may stand upon the ground and pick Afruit from the tops of the trees.

To this end myinvention consistsin a fruitpicker constructed substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l isa perspective viewof the device with the jaw open, and Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the jaw in closed position.

To one end of a suitable handle A is fixed l a loop B, which is made, preferably, of metal,

and which is firmly attached to thehandle, so as to project beyond the end of the same. Pivoted to the loop B, by the rod a, is an angular jaw C, having an upwardly-extending portion C', which corresponds in size and shape to the loop B, and which when closed will be parallel with the loop, it being prevented from closing upon theloop bythe pins b,which project from the inner edge of the jaw C and impinge upon the loop B, so that the tender branches of the trees will no t be nipped between the jaw and the loop.

The jaw C is provided with an upper covering C2, and is held normally in closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, by the spiral springs d, which extend from a cross-bar e of the part O to the cross-bar f of the loop B. A rod g extends across the elbow of the jaw G, to which a rod h is attached, said rod extending parallel with the handle A, and having its lower end aiiixed to the pin i of the arm D, which is pivoted to the handle A and extends laterally therefrom.

Near the outer end oi' the arm I) is another pin fi', from which a rod 7L extends parallel with the handle through the brace j, and terminates in a hand-loop h2. The brace j pro 4jects from between the ears to' the clasp 7c,

j is needed; but if the handle A is very long several arms D may be placed thereon.

Extending from the lower side of the loop B and suitably attached thereto is a bag E, which terminates in a spout F, which is suitably attached to i a receiving-sack I-I. The spout F has a netting F in one side, through which the fruit may be examined, an elbow F2, in which the fruit may stop, and a vertical opening F3, through which a particular fruit may be extracted from the elbow. The bag E, spout F, and -sack H should be made separable, as shown. i

The sack H is provided with a strap m, by which it may be suspended from the neck and shoulders of the operator, a Hap l-I, by which the upper opening of the sack may be closed, and a terminal spout H2, through which the fruit may be emptied from the sack into another receptacle. The terminal end of the spout is provided with a loop n, which may be hooked upon a button o on the top of the sack while the sack is being filled, to prevent the fruit from dropping through the spout.

The device is operated as follows: The operator places the strap m around his neck, thrusts a hand through the loop h2, and grasps the handle A with both hands. He then pulls upon the loop 71.2,and this will pull the rod'h,4

which will swing the arm D, actuate the rod h, and cause the jaw C to swing open upon the rod a, as shown in Fig. l. The operator then places the loop B beneath the fruit to be plucked and loosens his hold on the loop h2, when the springs d will close the part O of the jaw C upon the loop B and over the fruit to be plucked, when by slightly dropping the IOO l. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the handle A, the loop B, secured to the handle and projecting above the same, and the bag E, secured to the loop, of the angular jaw C, pivoted to the said loop and provided with the pins b, projecting from its inner edge, and With the covering C2, the spring CZ for holding the jaw normally closed, the arm D, pivoted to the handle, the rod h, connected io the arm and to the jaw, and rod 7L', connected to the outer end of the said arm D, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the handle A, the loop B, secured to the handle, and the bag E, secured to the loop of the angular jaw C, pivoted to the loop and provided with the pins b, and the covering C2, the spring d forl holding the jaw normall)7 closed, the arm D, pivoted to the handle, the rod h, connected tothe jaWand arm, the bracej, projecting from the handle below the arm D, and the rod 7L', secured to the outer end of the arm D, passed through the brace j, and provided with the hand-loop h2, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. A fruit-picker comprising the handle A, the loop B, secured to thehandle, the bag E, secured to -the loop and terminating in the spout F, the receiving-sack H, to which the spout is connected, provided with the strap m, and the terminal spout H2, the pivoted and spring-pressed-jaw C, provided With the pins b, the covering O2, and means for opening said jaw, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the bag E, attached to the picking mechanism, as shown, of the spout F, havingnetting F, elbow F 2, and opening F3 therein, substantially as described.

JOHN WV. GAIN.

Witnesses:

F. W. REITZ, J. B. HICKMAN. 

